Until Death Do Us Part
by Rockcrab
Summary: A night of sorrow, despair, and disbelief when a loving mother and adored daughter's lives are changed forever, whether for better or for worse. Spoiler Alert for FullMetal Alchemist, you have been warned. Oneshot.


Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own FullMetal Alchemist in any way, shape, or form.

Author's Note: This story came to me today, and I suppose it can enforce that anything can happen at any time. Nothing can be predicted and nothing can be done sometimes and there is absolutely nothing anyone can do about it. As people, we learn to live with death and all that roam the Earth will one day have to come face to face with it. Whether it be today or not for a century, I wish you well in whatever you may do with your life. Live it, enjoy it, love it. Tell ones you love that you love them as much as you can and hug them, even when you are upset with them. Remind them how much you care... because you never know when that someone close to your heart will be torn from you for reasons that can never be humanly explained. Thank you, and please enjoy the fanfiction.

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"Thank you…" Gracia put the phone down weakly, hand to her heart. It was throbbing and writhing with agony. It seemed as if it wanted to jump out of her chest, or rather that she wanted to tear it out of her chest to make it stop.

There was a flood of emotions. Sorrow, worry, disbelief... they all flooded her mind, making thinking almost impossible. She was too confused to cry, not wanting to believe the horrible truth. There was no way she had just gotten that call…

…and yet she had.

Alicia slept soundly upstairs in her little bed. She was such a sweet girl, never needed to be scolded. Alicia was young, too young for this too happen. How would Gracia explain this to her? How could she attempt to comfort her daughter when she was not even sure how to comfort herself? It couldn't be true. This couldn't have happened. Her husband would never have let this happen. She had to go see him and make it absolutely certain. She took a deep and shaky breath, remembering that morning.

_"Daddy, do you have to go?" Alicia was upset, tears in her eyes. Her father had been working alot that week and had not had much time to have been home. His daughter missed him; his wife missed him. Her father's expressioned softened as he lifted her off the ground and hugged her in his arms. Gracia stood in the doorway that connected the enterance to the house to the hall, to the kitchen. She smiled slightly, knowing that this would not last forever._

_Maes would have more time with them soon. She knew the man, and he always wished for more time with them._

_"I'm sorry honey, I know it's hard... but Daddy has alot of work to do...," Maes stated, hugging his daughter tightly. Alicia sighed, still not contented with this answer. She hugged him back, resting her head on his shoulder. _

_"Don't stay out too late, ok?...," she attempted, pouting slightly. This made Gracia smile, stating, "You heard her honey..."_

_Maes grinned, kissing his daughter's cheek and placing her on the floor. "Alright, I'll be home in time to tuck you into bed tonight, alright?" Alicia grinned, hugging her father's leg. Grancia stepped forward, embracing her husband and kissing his lips gently._

_"I love you, daddy!"_

_"I love you too, sweetie."_

_"See you when you get home, honey," stated Gracia, smoothing out a wrinkle in Maes's military uniform. He looked so very handsome in it to her, professional and strong. Though, she always thought he looked rather handsome. Every little thing he did ensured her that they would be together forever. The picture, how hard he worked... all for them. And Roy, of course. Those two were very close, as Gracia knew... but it was clear to her that her and Alicia meant more to Maes than Colonel Mustang did._

_"Love you~" Maes exitted the house, Gracia and Alicia contented to know that he would be returning ealier than he had been the last few nights._

Why had he not come home? He said he would have, and Gracia had put Alicia to bed herself. The little girl had been so dissappointed that her Daddy had not come home, but Gracia had assured her that he would come and say goodnight to her once he arrived back.

Not wishing to wake Alicia, Gracia called their neighbor. She picked up, "Hello?..."

"Ah, yes... hello Ms. Jenkins. I'm sorry to call you so late, but something came up... would you mind watching Alicia for an hour or two?" There was shuffling on the other side, as Ms. Jenkins adjusted the phone to her head.

"Why, did something happen?" Ms. Jenkins paused a moment when Gracia did not answer the question. Tears forming in her eyes and chest almost heaving, Gracia had not trusted herself to keep a straight voice. "I'll be over in five minutes, alright?"

"Thank you," stated Gracia, voice lacking all vigor that it had once possessed, strength sucked out of it as if water through a straw. "...and Ms. Jenkins?"

"Yes?...," questioned Ms. Jenkins.

"Hug Mr. Jenkins for me... you never know which time will be...the last...," Gracia's voice had gotten quieter and quieter through-out the sentence. She swallowed, last two words nearly a whisper. Ms. Jenkins was silent for a few moments, no doubt working out what had happened within her mind.

"I will... thank you, Ms. Hughes...," stated Ms. Jenkins. Gracia faltered, hanging up. There was always a chance he was alive, right? Maybe the military had identified the wrong man. She half expected him to burst in through the door and rush upstairs to say goodnight to their daughter, hoping that she had not yet fallen asleep. She wanted so badly to hear his voice; to see his grinning expression. Every little thing he did. All that he had meant to her.

He would come back, surely. It was silly, this whole thing. Gracia must have been dreaming, fallen asleep on the chair she had been sitting in when the phone rang. She had been waiting for him, ready to give him a stern talking to. How could he upset Alicia so by not keeping his promise? Of course, she knew she would not have ended up scolding him, as he would have looked run down and tired as usual. His job was so demanding sometimes, but his words were always so comforting...

There was a knock on the door, and Gracia jumped. She rushed to it, half expecting her husband to be there waiting for her. He needed to be there to tell her that everything was ok, that there had been some sort of mistake! Oh dear God in heaven, there must have been some mistake! Such a remarkable man, a husband... a father! Everything that he did was for the good of another, every word he said, not one had any hint of malice!

He'd kept every promise he had ever made to her, right down to keeping her happy. They had been together through everything! Everything! Every vow had been followed to the very letter! They stayed true through it all! It could not end so suddenly, so abruptly! Her husband could not have been taken by the almightly hand of God now! Not when he had done nothing wrong, not when they were so loyal to each other!

They had managed through better and worse, through richer and poorer, through sickness and in health. They had loved each other dearly; cherished each other's company and each other's thoughts! Everything they did, they did for each other! There was love, undying and unequal to anyone else in this world, save their one and only daughter!

...until death do they part.


End file.
